Slip & Falls Pose a More Serious Risk to Construction Workers

Posted on Jul 26, 2013 12:00am PDT

As you may know, slip and fall accidents pose a serious risk to the entire
American population. Statistics show that nearly 17,000 people suffer
fatal injuries in
slip and fall accidents each year and that falls are the leading cause of non-fatal medically
treated injuries in the U.S. While a fall at ground level can cause serious
physical damage—including broken bones,
spinal cord injuries and even brain trauma—it is important to understand that construction
workers are susceptible to an increased risk of injury. Since a significant
number of construction workers are expected to work at significant heights,
sometimes hundreds of feet above the ground, a fall could be life-threatening.
For this reason, it is crucial that all construction workers and on-site
supervisors follow necessary safety guidelines.

OSHA Workplace Safety Regulations

The U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) has imposed
a number of different rules and regulations on the construction industry
in recent years in an effort to the limit the amount of work-related injuries.
When it comes to the safety and proper construction of
scaffolding, for example, OSHA mandates that all scaffolds be capable of supporting
four times the maximum intended load (1926.451(a)(1)). Similarly, all
suspension ropes must be able to support, without failure, at least six
times the maximum intended load (1926.451(a)(4)). If a
negligent supervisor fails to follow these guidelines when constructing a scaffold, either
due to time constraints or carelessness, any worker that is subsequently
asked to work on that platform could be at risk of a serious slip and
fall injury.

Under these circumstances, New York Labor Law
Sections 240 & 241 state that the contractor or property owner could be held responsible.
Since it is their job to ensure the safety of their workers, they would
be strictly liable for the consequences of their own negligent actions.
That being said, it is also true that the worker's award could not
be reduced by their own level of fault—unless, of course, they were
solely responsible for causing the accident in which they were injured.
For this reason, you should not hesitate to find out how a New York construction
accident lawyer from Lurie, Ilchert, MacDonnell & Ryan LLP can assist
you in securing compensation if you or someone you love was injured in
a fall. Our firm boasts more than 100 years of combined experience, so
you can trust that you are in good hands.

Contact Lurie, Ilchert, MacDonnell & Ryan LLP

Ever since our firm was established more than 50 years ago, we have been
able to secure more than $420 million in compensation for our clients.
That being said, you should not hesitate to find out what we can do for you.
Give us a call today to learn more.

The information on this website is for general information purposes only.
Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual
case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt
or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.